On the day before Eid, a delegation from the United Arab Emirates and security contractor Bancroft Global completed their third meeting on the future of the land-based anti-piracy force called the Puntland Marine Police Force. Although any visit by the UAE would normally be considered a VIP event in Puntland, attendees describe the meeting as tense. The son of President Mohamad Farole even went as far as to...

Kenya has finally made it to Kismayo. Feeling confident enough to enter the long suffering port city of 150,000 people with the invasion force, Spokesman Col Cyrus Oguna credited an air, land and sea operation called "Operation Sledgehammer" for the success of the invasion.

Oguna said this was the first time any such attack has been carried out by an African Army. What the media spokesman lacks in history knowledge he makes for in enthusiasm. South Africa, North Africa and even Mogadishu have been the scene of numerous amphibious and air assaults executed or accompanied by African troops. His excitement may be more due to the lack (so far) of any major disaster. It's not easy moving untested troops by small boat into a hostile region at night.

Australian Report Examines Industry and Government Entry into Maritime Security

Piracy studies tend to be heavy on the "need for regulation" side and light on the "fix piracy" side. One area where undisputed success has been shown has generated few studies. The use of armed guards aboard...

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (57) is the chairman of the predominately Hawiye clan dominated, Peace and Development Party (PDP).

In what is described as the first Presidential election in over forty years, the former academic and university head Mohamud was given 190 votes out of the 269 votes cast. As a sign of the times, former President Sharif...

Somali pirates holding the MV Orna, hijacked on December 20th, 2010, have told Somalia Report that they have killed a Syrian and wounded another to force payment of the ransom. Pirates have often threatened to kill crew members and a number of crew members have died while in captivity but this is the first time since 2007 that a murder has been used as...

The liberation of Merka by foreign paid, trained and supported troops was inevitable. Proxy forces now numbering over 17,000 hired guns and militias like the Ras Kamboni, rehatted forces like the Kenyan Defence Force, religious and ethnic groups like ASWJ and even U.S intelligence providers are providing overwhelming force albeit in cautious steps....

In the past week, Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was officially no more; the cabinet ministers are acting on a caretaker basis, most of the new parliament members were sworn in, and a date was set for elections of the parliament speaker, after which the presidential elections will take place.

Please note: This is our last daily media roundup. If you would like to sponsor this service or request our assistance with custom reports, please contact us at editor@somaliareport.com. We would also like to thank Ahmed Dirie and Aweys Cadde for their dedication in monitoring Somalia's news on TV, radio and websites on a daily basis. Your work is greatly...

Somalia News Highlights: Somali Leaders Strike Unity Deal As Election Draws Closer; As Somali Election Nears, Candidates Accused of Corruption; Somali Government 'Must End Assassinations'; Three Ugandan Military Helicopters Missing in Somalia; Two Pre-Teen Pirates Sent Back to Somalia After Trial; UN Decries Death of Two Journalists in Somalia; Somali...

As part of our on-going series, "What Is...", Somalia Report examines Galkayo (Galka'ayo), a violence-ridden city in central Somalia. In today's Part One, we review the background, security, and infrastructure. In Part Two, we will investigate the effects of piracy and al-Shabaab in the city.

At 6:40pm Saturday evening, air and sea based strikes hit the port city of Kismayo, a stronghold of the al-Shabaab militant group in Somalia's Lower Juba region, killing three civilians. Residents believe the strikes were carried out by Kenyan naval and air forces which are preparing to seize the city from the Islamic militants with the help of forces...

Somalia News Highlights: Is There Hostility Between Somali Dynamic Duo, Sharif and Gaas?; Former Prime Minister Supporters Shot at Rally; Kenya to Lead Strike on Somali Militants; Once Mighty, Somalia's Army Struggles to Rebuild; Five Somalis Indicted Again for Attack on Navy Ship; Parents of Captured Sailor Plead for Indian Government to Act;...